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stamp duties on Lottery Office Keepers do cease and determine, and that a stamp duty of 50l. be, in future, taken oat by every person who shall divide tickets or shares in the Lottery.

Tuesday, July 8.

The motion for the third reading of the American Intercourse Bill was p posed by a number of members. The mreasure, they said, was deprecated by the whole mercantile interests of the country, as pregnant with the most destructive consequences to our trade and navigation. Sir C. Price moved, as an amendment, that the third reading be de

red for three months; it was negatived by 85 to 30, and the bill was passed.

Wednesday, July 9.

In a Committee of Supply, the follow. ing suds were voted

Officers of the regulars should not be commanded by volunteer officers, and as to regular officers below the rank of Field Officers, they would remain as at present. He further stated that there was no intention of giving the regular Field Officers any command over volunteer colonels, except in the case of the volunteers being called out to do duty with the regulars.

The Princes Annuity Bill being brought up, Colonel Wood said he took great shame to himself for sitting in the House the other night, when these annuities were voted, without saying one word on the subject: he thought that, at the present time, when the people were paying 17 per cent. of taxes, this should not be introduced. The Royal Personages had a competent allowance, and not only that, but they also held high military rank, while they contri buted nothing to the burdens of the state; so their real income was, nearly one half more than their nominal income, Lord Temple argued that the augmen

To the Princess Sophia of Gloucester, 4000l. per annum, and a further yearly sum of 2cool. upon the death of her mother. To the Commissioners of Naval Enquiry, as a compensation, 26,500ltation was necessary, in consequence of To the Commissioners of Military Enquiry 10,cool. To the Veterinary College 1 5ool.

In this Committee Lord Henry Fetty stated, that the Commissioners of Military Inquiry had presented to the House a Report, now on the table, containing matters of high importance, and which had led to the recovery of a large sum of public money, for the whole of which the Treasury were in possession of securities. [This alludes to an article in the report which states, that Gen. De. lancy, the late barrack-master general, had charged one per cent. on all the debursements in his department, which charge formed the sum of 87,000l. but which the C mmissioners had disallowed in his accounts.-The money has accordingly been repaid to the Exche, quer.]

Mr Windham brought in a bill to regulate the rank of Office s in Yeomanry and Volunteer Corps. He had, he said, at first thought that a Captain of the regulars ought not to be commanded by any volunteer officer. Finding, however, the feelings of most of the volunteer officers to be against this change, he had, in order to meet their ideas, altered his original intention; and the present bill would declare, that Field

the depreciation of the value of money. since the annuities were first granted. Thursday, July 10.

Mr Windham brought in a Bill to amend the 42d of the King with respect to the pay of the Officers of the Militia and Army. The Bi provides, that an increase of pay shall be granted to all the Officers of the Regulars, but that the augmentation shall only extend to subalterns of the Militia. The exclusion of the Superior Officers of the Militia was strongly objected to, as entirely altering the constitution of that body, who, when embodied, were told that they were to receive the same pay in every respect as the Army. The Secretary at War, in reply, observed, that the pay was no object to the superior Officers of the Militia, who were men of fortune, while the Officers of the Army had no other means of existing. The Bill was read a first time. In the Committee on the Bill for regulating the rank of Volunteer Officers, a short conversation took place. General Tarleton considered the Bill as degrading to the Volunteers, who, had they not been discouraged, would have been, by this time, in a transcendant state of discipline, and he would have had no hesi tation in mixing 10,000 of them with

the

the same number of the regulars and
militia; his only apprehension would
have been, that they would have been
too eager.
He also mentioned the
names of many gentlemen, who had ser-
ved abroad in the army, and now served
as officers in the volunteers, who, of
necessity, must be degraded by the bill,
as they would be put under the com-
mand of junior officers of the line.

EAST INDIA BUDGET.

The House went into a committee on the East India accounts..

Amount received in In-
dia, and included in the
quick stock there, dated
30th April 1804, which
formed part of the cargoes
afloat outwards, in the as-
sets at home. £. 583,299
Goods in the
export warehou-
ses in India on
the 30th of April
1801, arrived in
England, and in-
'cluded in the as-
sets at home,

43,619

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Lord Morpeth stated, that it was now his duty to submit to the consideration of the Committee a general and comparative view of the situation of the East Ladia Company on an average of rioration will then be three years.

In the course of this

statement he should have occasion, prety much at length, to refer to the estimates, to the various revenuecharges, to assets at home the and abroad, to the debts at home and the home accounts, and lastly, to contrast the assets at home with the debts and assets abroad. His Lordship entered into a long and most laborious statement, for a comprehensive view of which we refer our readers to the following general comparison of debts and assets :

General Comparison of Debts and Assets. Increase of debts in India £. 2,606,984 Increase of debts at home 1,223,331

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3,890,315

3,551,121

The amount of the dete

The assets at home exhibit an increase in value during the year in the sum of 442,1921. from the insertion of the amount of the claims of the company on the public, it having been calculated before it was under the consideration of Parliament. As this branch of the concern is under examination umittee of the House of Commons, which pon principles recommended by a comwill lessen its amount, a further considerable adjustment will hereafter be requisite. His Lordship lamented the deterioration in the funds of the company; but contended, that as peace in India was now established, there was little doubt that every difficulty affecting the Company would be speedily got over. After dwelling on these points, and enlarging on the general statement, his Lordship concluded by moving his resolutions, which were agreed to.

Friday, July 11.

Mr Vansittart brought in a bill for investing the estates and property of Alex. Houston and Co. in certain Trustees, for the repayment of a loan advanced by Government for repairing devastations committed by the enemy in Grenada. Mr Baker having expressed some doubts respecting the employment of the money, Mr Macdowall stated, that he had succeeded his father in his connection with the house of Houston, and that since 1800 he had made every. exertion for liquidating the debt in the 339,194 manner now proposed, but his efforts had

been

been rather obstructed than seconded by the Law Officers of the Crown in Scotland. He should take the first opportunity of laying a full statement of the transactions before the House and the public.

Mr Whitbread gave notice of a motion, to be made early in the next Session, "to revise and amend the act of the 25th of the King, for regulating the office of Treasurer of the Navy." This, he said, was rendered necessary by the recorded opinions of the Judges on a late impeachment.

Sir H. Mildmay rose, to call the attention of the House to the merits and services of the volunteers, upon which he expatiated for some time, and conclud. ed by moving," That this House does highly approve and gratefully acknowledge the meritorious services so eminently displayed by the Volunteer Corps, and that it does think it necessary to record its decided opinion, that the due encouragement of the zeal and patriotism of these corps is essential to their discipline and the maintenance of their establishment.

Mr Dent seconded the motion. It was also supported by Sir R. Milbank, General Phipps, Mr Fuller, Mr Banks, Sir Robert Williams, Mr Wilberforce, General Tarleton, Mr Percival, Mr Canning, Lord Castlereagh, &c. Lord Ossulstone moved the previous question, which was supported by Mr Windham and Lord Howick. Mr Sheridan made an animated speech in favour of the volunteers, but could not altogether approve of the wording of the motion. He fairly acknowledged that he was at variance with his Right Hon. Friend (Mr Windham) upon the whole of his military arrangements. "I wish," said Mr S. " distinctly to be understood, that with regard to the volunteers, I never shall vary my sentiments. I did before move the thanks of the House to that meritorious body, and in so doing I gave them a pledge of the spirit in which I would support their interest, character, and dignity. If, Sir, they deserved this mark of public feeling merely for the promptitude with which they stept forward for the defence of the State, how much higher are their claims

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to merit, when they have done that ser vice which they only intimated a disposition to perform! With respect to the drill serjeants, and some other minor matters of regulation, it may be eligible to leave those in the care to which such subjects are officially committed. But I think that the Reports of the Military Inspectors have been treated with a degree of levity which is neither candid nor decent. Sir, it is a fact most notorious, that nothing made so strong an impression on the French Government, during their hostile designs upon this country, as the energy manifested by the volunteers: the effect was equally felt by Bonaparte and his Minister Talleyrand; they saw with mortification, that the nation would be indebted for its independence to its valour. The people of England did not prostrate themselves and petition the Sovereign. 'O King, hire us as an army, and we shall be protected;' but they took the wea pon into their own hands, to weild it in their own cause."

M: Sheridan concluded by proposing that the original motion should be thus amended-" That the thanks of the House be given to the several corps of yeomanry and volunteers, for the promptitude and zeal with which they have stood forward for the defence of the country in the moment of public danger." After a long debate, the previous question was carried by a majority of 75 to 41.

Mr Sheridan then urged the necessity of a declaration of the sentiments of the House with respect to the volunteers, as the best means of removing those suspicions and jealousies which had of late appeared among them. He concluded by moving

"That this House continues to retain its cordial sense of the zealous exertions of the several corps of Yeomanry and Volunteers of the United Kingdom, associated for the defence of their country, and doth highly approve the perseverance and patriotism they so eminently displayed in continuing to be associated for that object."

Upon this also Lord Howick moved the Previous Question, which was carried by a majority of 69 to 39.

Historical Affairs.

ITALY.

HE London Gazette of the 29th July, contains dispatches from Sir Sidney Smith, giving an account of his operations since he took the command at Sicily. Were they less worthy of himself, we should be held inexcusable, did we present in a mutilated or abridg. ed form any thing from the pen of the heroic defender of Acre-the interesting historian of its siege-the conqueror of Bonaparte. The dipatches are addressed to Lord Collingwood, and are as follow:

Pompee, at anchor off Sealia, May 24. "My Lord,-I arrived at Palermo in the Pompee on the 21st of last month, and took on me the command of the squadron. I found things in the state that may be well imagined on the Government being displaced from its capital, with the loss of one of the two kingdoms, and the dispersion of the army assembled in Calabria. The judicious arrangement made by Captain Sotheron of the ships, and the position of the British army under Sir John Stuart at Messina, had, however, prevented further mischief.

"I had the satisfaction of learning that Gaeta still held out, although as yet without succour, from a mistaken idea, much too prevalent, that the progress of the French armies is irresistible. It was my first care to see that the necessary supplies should be safely conveyed to the Governor; and I communicated to his Serene Highness (on the breach battery, which he never quits) the assurance of further support to any extent within my power, for the maintenance of that important fortress. Things wore a new aspect immediately on the arrival of the ammunition; the redoubled fire of the enemy with red-hot shot into the Mole (being answered with redoubled vigour) did not prevent the landing of every thing we had brought, together with four of the Excellent's lower deck guns, to answer August 1806.

this galling fire, which bore directly on the landing place.

"A second convoy, with the Intrepid, placed the garrison beyond the immediate want of any thing essential, and the enemy from advancing his nearest approaches within 250 yards, was reduced to the defensive in some degree dreading one of those sorties which the Prince of Hesse had already shewn him his garrison was equal to, and which was became a much safer operation, now that the flanking fire of eight Neapolitan gun boats, I had brought with me, in addition to four his Highness had already used so successfully, would cover it, even to the rear of the enemy's trenches. Arrangements were put in train for this purpose, and according to a wise suggestion of his Serene Highness, measures were taken for the embarkation of a small party from the garrison to land in the rear of the enemy's batteries to the northward.

"I confided the execution of the naval part of this arrangement to Capt. Richardson, of his Majesty's ship Juno, puting the Neapolitan frigate and gun boats under his orders. His Serene Highness possessing the experience of European warfare and a most firm mind, having no occasion for further aid on the spot, I felt I could quit the garrison without apprehension for its safety in such hands, with the present means of defence, and that I could best co-operate with him by drawing some of the attacking force off for the defence of Naples. I accordingly proceeded thither, with the Pompee, Excellent, Athenienne and Intrepid.

"The enemy's apprehensions of attack occasioned them to convey some of the battering train from the trenches before Gaeta to Naples. The city was illuminated, on account of Joseph Bonaparte proclaiming himself King of the Two Sicilies!-The junction of the Eagle made us five sail of the line, and it would have been easy for their fire to have interrupted this ceremony and

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shew of festivity; but I considered that the unfortunate inhabitants had evil enough on them; that the restoration of the capital to its lawful Sovereign and its fugitive inhabitants would be no gratification if it should be found a heap of ruins, ashes, and bones; and that, as I had no force to land and to keep or der, in case of the French army retiring to the fortresses, I should leave an opulent city a prey to the licentious part of the community, who would not fail to profit by the confusion the flames would occasion. Not a gun was fired; but no such consideration operated in my mind, to prevent me dislodging the French garrison from the island of Capri, which,from its situation, protecting the coasting communication southward, was a great object for the enemy to keep, and by so much one for me to wrest from him. I accordingly summoned the French Commandant to surrender. On his non-acquiescence, I directed Capt. Rowley, in his Majesty's ship Eagle, to cover the landing of marines and boats crews, and caused an attack to be made under his orders. That brave officer placed his ship judiciously, nor did he open his fire until she was secured, and his distance marked by the effect of musketry on his quarter-deck, where the 1st Lieutenant, James Crawley, fell wounded, and a seaman was killed; although Capt. Rowley regretted much the services of that meritorious officer in such a critical moment, he has since recovered.

"An hour's fire from both decks of the Eagle, (between nine and ten o'clock) with that of two Neapolitan mortar boats under an active officer, Lieut. Rivera, drove the enemy from the vineyards within their walls; the marines were landed, and gallantly led by Capt. Bunce; the seamen, in like manner, under Lieutenant Morrell of the Eagie, and Lieut. Redding of the Pompee, mounted the steps; for such was their road, headed by the officers, nearest to the narrow pass by which alone they could ascend. Captain Stannus command. ing the Athenienne's marines gallant ly pressing forward gained the heights, and the French Commandant fell by his hand. This event being known, the enemy beat a parley; a letter from the second in command claimed the terms ●ffered, and a capitulation was signed,

and the garrison allowed to march out and pass over to Naples with every honour of war, after the interment of their brave Commander, with due respect. We thus became masters of this impor tant post. The enemy not having been allowed time to bring two pieces of heavy cannon, with their ammunition, to Capri,the boat containing them, together with a boat loaded with timber, for the construction of gun boats at Castellamare, took refuge at Massa, on the main land opposite to the island, where the guard had, hauled the whole upon the beach; I detached the two mortar boats, and a Gaeta privateer, under the orders of Lieutenants Faliverne and Rivera, to bring them off, sending Mr Williams, midshipman of the Pompee, from the squadron, on purpose to let the Neapolitans have the credit of the action, which they fairly obtained; for, after dislodg. ing the enemy from a strong tower, they not only brought off the boats and two thirty-five pounders, but powder (twenty barrels) from the magazine of the tower, before the enemy assembled in force.

"The projected sorties took place on the 13th and 15th in the morning, in a manner to reflect the highest credit on the part of the garrison and naval force employed. The covering fire from the fleet was judiciously directed by Capts. Richardson and Vicuna, whose conduct on this whole service merits my warmest approbation. I inclose Captain Richardson's two letters, as best detailing these affairs, and a list of the killed and wounded on the 12th.

"On the 19th ult. the boats of the Pompee, under Lieut. Beacroft, brought out a merchant vessel from Scalvitra, near Salerno, although protected by a heavy fire of musketry.

"On the 23d, obtaining intelligence that the enemy had two 36 pounders in a small vessel on the beach at Sealia, I sent the Pompee's boats in for them. But the French troops were too well posted in the houses of the town for them to succeed without the cover of the ship. I accordingly stood in with the Pompee, and sent a message to the inhabitants to withdraw; which being done, a few of the Pompee's lower deck guns cleared the town and neighbouring hills, while the launch, commanded by Lieut. Mouraylian, with Capt. Oats, of

the

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